Law Abiding Citizens
by x Ugly Duckling x
Summary: The events of "The Newlywed Game" have a different outcome in this story. What if the FBI made Jack & Sue's newlywed cover a little too authentic? They got more than they bargained for signing up for this mission…
1. Chapter 1

**Law-Abiding Citizens**

The events of "The Newlywed Game" have a different outcome in this story. What if the FBI made Jack & Sue's newlywed cover a little _too_ authentic? They got more than they bargained for signing up for this mission…

Based on the episode "The Newlywed Game" in season 2. A farfetched idea that came to me one night… 75% believable, 25% zany, just go with it. ;)

(Disclaimer: I don't profess to be a Sue Thomas expert – I've only seen a handful of free episodes online, so if any of the details in this story conflict with the show's canon, I apologize.)

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**Chapter 1 – Welcome to the Neighborhood**

The house was nice. If by nice you meant palatial. Each room Sue entered on her tour of what would be her make-believe home for the next several days – or weeks – was grander than the one before. It made the humble bungalow she grew up in seem like a shanty. Cathedral ceilings, skylights, and granite countertops took her breath away around every corner.

To have Jack present in the midst of all this grandeur was yet another amazement among many. But then, he seemed to fit the environment. Unlike her. This was hardly the first time in her life she'd felt like a fish out of water, but it was the first time it involved feeling outclassed.

Her insecurities were getting the best of her, she knew. Jack was the last person who'd think less of her for any reason, least of all something as petty as social strata. He'd been her biggest advocate at the agency since day one. Even if he suspected her origins were less auspicious than his, he had enough character to keep it to himself.

When she accidentally knocked over a vase in the kitchen, however, she feared she might be testing that theory.

"Ugh, that was so clumsy of me," she lamented, searching for a broom and dustpan. "I hope that wasn't one of your personal belongings?"

"It's not mine. Must be a last-minute thrift store purchase Bobby found to make this feel like 'home.'"

Sue hurriedly swept up the mess, wanting to avert her eyes but needing to periodically glance up to see his response. "I'm just afraid it's bad luck, breaking something so soon."

She saw Jack's mouth open and his larynx wiggle. He was laughing.

"Sue, I'm surprised! I didn't take you for the superstitious type."

"I'm not usually, it's just… I feel like I'm making this more awkward than it already is."

Jack's smile turned to a contemplative smirk. "I hadn't really thought of it as awkward. More like… unique."

"Unique is what you call an exotic pet or a piece of modern art! Posing as a married couple so we can spy on the neighbors who are most likely terrorists? That's what I call awkward!"

He shrugged. "Well, if you put it _that_ way."

Shaking her head, Sue swept the last of the vase's fragments and dumped them in the trash.

"There, let's hope that's the last thing I break. We don't need to be destroying a house that's not even ours."

Jack sauntered past her, trailing a finger along the mirror-smooth surface of the island countertop. He seemed to be drinking in the sumptuous details of every appliance and recessed light.

"Ours or not, I intend to enjoy it while we're here. What fun is it to handle a mansion with kid gloves?" he snatched an apple out of the fruit bowl, gouging a bite from it. "Have you seen the entertainment center in the basement? It's like a miniature movie theater!"

"I haven't been down there yet," she confessed.

"Wanna try it out tonight?"

Sue drew a face. "Thanks, but I'm pretty tired. Moving in is hard work, even with everyone's help."

"You sure? I brought my entire Seinfeld DVD collection."

"Tempting, but I'm headed to bed," she yawned. "Which brings us to the issue of bedrooms."

"I had my eye on the one at the end of the hallway, across from the second bathroom."

"That's fine. I'll take the master bedroom, since it has enough space for Levi's dog bed."

Nodding, Jack stepped aside with exaggerated manners, as a butler would. "Goodnight then…"

"See you tomorrow," Sue offered a tired smile and headed past him, whistling for Levi to follow her upstairs.

"…Mrs. Hudson," Jack added playfully behind her back.

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	2. Chapter 2

_I just realized this is the first story based on a live-action, present-day, non-fantasy/sci-fi storyline that I've written. It feels strange but satisfying._  
_Updates should be fairly regular, though my plot advancement is admittedly a bit slower than some writers. I stand by the belief that good things are worth waiting for. ;)  
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**Chapter 2 - Morning Routine**

One advantage of being deaf was being able to sleep soundly in new or unfamiliar places. There were no odd sounds to adjust to or drown out. Sue simply shut her eyes, settled into her pillow, and woke refreshed the next morning.

Jack wasn't up yet, but she didn't expect him to be. She estimated he'd just be shuffling to the kitchen by the time she returned from her run with Levi.

What she hadn't anticipated was a chance encounter with Betty next door. The woman of the house under surveillance was still in her bathrobe, fetching the morning paper from the driveway. Their exchange had been pleasant, polite, and aided by Levi's charming presence, naturally. Things were off to a propitious start.

Upon reentering the house, her earlier estimate was confirmed: Jack appeared to have just crawled out of bed, hair tousled as he sipped from a coffee mug.

"You're up early," he remarked sluggishly.

"I've always been a morning person," she replied with a grin. "And you're clearly a night person. How late were you up before going to bed?"

Jack looked sheepishly at his coffee, rubbing the handle with his thumb. "Actually… I sort of fell asleep downstairs."

"In the basement!"

"It's not my fault the leather recliners are so comfortable! They're heated and have massage settings!"

Sue couldn't help but laugh as she unclipped Levi's leash. "I guess I can't blame you. The beds aren't heated, at least not that I know of."

"So how was it in the master suite?"

"Fine. Not quite dark enough, though. I think I'll be getting some heavier curtains."

Jack grunted a laugh. "Back in college, if we guys needed less light, we just threw a beach towel over the curtain rod."

"I'll take that into consideration," Sue joked, then turned sober again. "By the way, I just ran into Betty VanderWylen."

That got his attention. "Really? Already?"

"She must be a morning person too. We only talked for a few minutes outside, but I think it went well. She seems nice."

Jack snorted and sipped his coffee. "Don't be fooled, Sue. Remember who her husband is."

"I haven't forgotten. But remember, too, she may not be involved with his business."

"We should assume she is, then we'll be pleasantly surprised otherwise."

Sue pursed her lips. That was one fundamental difference between the two of them. Jack was a chronic realist bordering on pessimist, while she operated on a decidedly optimistic viewpoint. Their two styles clashed on several occasions, but when she thought about it, that was probably what made them great partners. One agent's perspective complemented the other. The result was a comprehensive approach that seldom missed anything.

"Well, you'll get the chance to size them both up the night after tomorrow," replied Sue. "We've been invited over to dinner."

Jack's eyes were as wide as the rim of his mug. "How did you manage that?"

"Never underestimate the charm of an optimist," Sue winked before heading upstairs to shower.

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	3. Chapter 3

_This chapter introduces a few differences from the original plotline, but the major ones are yet to come… just wait! Mwahaha…_

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**C****hapter 3 – Housewarming Gifts**

The warm steam invigorated Sue, filling the bathroom with its wispy tendrils. But soon the lights began to flicker on and off, on and off. It was too steady a rhythm to be an electrical sputter. She poked her head outside the shower curtain and, sure enough, there was Jack's hand sticking through the doorway.

He was holding a sheet of paper with a message written in black sharpie: _"Going to get eggs. Do you want an omelet?"_

"Sure, if you're making them!" she called out.

Jack responded with a thumbs-up and then disappeared.

Drying off later in front of the enormous mirror, Sue drew up short. A ring of dressing-room bulbs fringed the perimeter of the mirror. In their harsh glow, she saw lines and flaws that her dim apartment lights failed to highlight. Was this really her? She'd seen her share of hardship over the years, but she hadn't expected it to be quite so visible by age thirty-two.

Sue ran a tentative finger down the side of one cheek. She never perceived herself as a vain person, yet the insecurity she felt now was undeniable. If this was how she truly appeared to the world, what man would find her young and attractive? It struck a deep nerve, one she tried to ignore when lonely, vulnerable thoughts plagued her on sleepless nights.

She dressed as quickly as she could, threw on a pair of house slippers, and picked up the binoculars on her bed stand. At least spying on Joseph and Betty would distract her from personal issues.

No sooner had she positioned the lenses in the venetian blinds when Levi summoned her; the doorbell rang.

Descending the stairs and peering through the peephole, she fully expected to see Betty standing outside. But it wasn't her neighbor.

"Lucy!" Sue greeted, opening the door wide. "What are you doing here?"

"Morning, Sue! I just came by to drop something off," Lucy stepped inside, a thick manila envelope tucked under one arm.

"Are you in a hurry? Do you have time for some coffee?"

Lucy checked her watch. "I suppose one cup wouldn't set me back too much."

The two seated themselves at the breakfast bar, enjoying the view through the sliding doors that overlooked the deck. Rich wooded acres sprawled into the distance.

"It's beautiful here," sighed Lucy. "This house is pretty close to paradise."

"I know. Sometimes I have to pinch myself."

"Will you be able to tear yourself away and come back to our cracked linoleum floors when this is done?"

"Oh Lucy, you know my heart will always belong in that apartment, faded curtains and all!" laughed Sue.

Lucy elbowed her gently. "Good, because someone needs to help restock the mousetraps every once in a while."

"You sure know how to lure a roommate back."

"I'm a woman of many talents," Lucy leaned back, stretching. "So how is Jack settling in? Has he managed to litter every flat surface with socks and underwear?"

"Not yet, but give him time," Sue smiled knowingly. "The only room in danger of being taken over is the basement. I think it's going to be his man cave."

"Ah yes, the proverbial fortress of solitude: the basement! I take it you won't be fighting him for it?"

"Hadn't planned to!"

"Smart thinking. You don't want to come between a man and his claimed territory," Lucy advised sagely. Then she noticed the time. "I should get going and give you a few minutes to have the house to yourself before Jack gets back from the grocery store."

Sue stood to see her to the door. "Thanks for stopping by."

"Oh, I almost forgot to give you this," Lucy handed her the envelope.

"What is it?"

"Just some paperwork Ted says he forgot to give you before the mission began."

_Some paperwork indeed, _Sue felt the thickness of the envelope. Whatever it was would require thorough reading. _Probably more intel on the VanderWylens_.

Thanking Lucy again, Sue shut the door and headed back to finish her coffee. Now she had even more to keep her mind off vanity. She slit open the envelope and pulled out its contents.

At first glance, these were not documents she was familiar with. They lacked the standard formatting of agency reports. Sue leaned in to scan the top page more closely. She was browsing for Betty or Joseph's name, or their last name of VanderWylen, but she came across neither.

The only names she recognized – indeed, the only names printed besides their supervisor's – were hers and Jack's. Nothing unusual about that, since they were the ones directly involved in this case. But then she turned the page. And all the color drained from her face.

She stopped breathing for a second. Spots danced before her eyes.

"No…" she whispered, eyes darting frantically from one paragraph to the next. "No, this can't be…"

The more she read, the more she sank into desperate denial. She gripped the countertop edge for support, or else she'd have fallen off her stool.

"This has to be a mistake!" she cried.

Suddenly Levi was nudging her side insistently. Whether the phone was ringing or someone else was at the door, she needed to stash these papers until she could examine them further. With trembling fingers she tucked them back inside the envelope and hid it under the phone book in the drawer.

Not a moment too soon, either. Jack entered the kitchen seconds later, carrying an overflowing bag of groceries.

"Sorry it took me so long, I had a hard time finding vegetables that weren't too ripe," he explained, preheating a skillet on the stove. "Do you want green peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, or chiles in your omelet?"

Sue stared at him blankly, trying to staunch the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

"Um, none of the above?" Jack offered, perplexed by her silence.

"Sorry… I'll have… onion," she answered robotically.

"Onion? Shoot, that's the one thing I forgot!" Jack smacked his forehead. "I'm sorry Sue, if you really want it I can go back –"

"No, never mind, tomatoes will be fine," she amended, feeling foolish_. Onions weren't one of the choices! Get a hold of yourself, Sue. You'll read through everything tonight and everything will be fine. Everything has to be fine…_

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	4. Chapter 4

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**Chapter 4 – Curled up with a Good Book**

The rest of the day unfolded in a blur for Sue. Observing Joseph VanderWylen on a cell phone call was the only memorable part. She and Jack had visited the office to strategize with the others, then returned home around dinnertime.

Static clouded Sue's brain. She couldn't recall half of what her fellow agents had said that day. While Jack prepared spaghetti, she sat staring, transfixed, at the phone book drawer.

"Dinner's ready," Jack carried the steaming cookware to the table. Sue followed him and sat down in a daze.

"It smells good," she praised flatly.

"Sorry if the pasta's overdone."

_That's the least of my worries_, thought Sue. "I'm sure it will taste fine."

"Everything tastes better when someone else makes it, right?" smiled Jack.

Sue stared dumbly at her plate for a minute. "I hope you don't think I take it for granted…"

"No, Sue I was only joking," he passed her the salad bowl. "I enjoy cooking."

On a normal night, she'd have responded with something like, _"Shouldn't you have a fancy bistro in downtown DC instead of a cluttered desk across from Myles Leland?"_ But she offered no such clever banter. Yet another sign that something was amiss.

"Sue, are you feeling all right?" Jack tried to ask discreetly.

"I'm fine," she said unconvincingly, not looking up.

"Are you sure there's nothing on your mind? Something about our neighbors you haven't shared with the rest of us?"

_Not about the neighbors, no_, Sue could honestly answer. "I told you everything I saw with Joseph's phone call."

Jack hated to pry, but his instincts told him to press the issue. "That's it? That's got you shaken up?"

Sue's stomach churned as she twirled her spaghetti aimlessly. The food looked appetizing, but her appetite was nonexistent. Taking a deep breath, she forced a bite of it into her mouth and chewed slowly.

"Mm-hm," she lied.

"All right…" Jack said uncertainly. He wasn't convinced, but clearly Sue wasn't ready to share the truth just yet. If she was still acting strangely tomorrow night, he wouldn't drop the matter so easily.

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Sue sat crouched beneath her covers, flashlight in hand as she poured over the documents in secret. Under no circumstances would she let Jack know about this until the time was right. If there ever did come the right time to tell him…

Her neck ached from stress and coiled posture. Adding to the strain was the fact she wasn't a night person. Jack was – he was a better candidate for this all around. He had the law degree, after all. He should be the one interpreting this legalese instead of laughing at Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer from the luxury of his heated recliner.

But Sue had been the one Lucy happened to deliver the package to, so this was her responsibility. At least for now. Until she scrutinized every letter and determined what, if anything, she and Jack were in for.

She prayed incessantly it would be nothing. That she'd misread the initial pages, or that their content would be counteracted by some loophole or addendum.

She'd yet to identify such an addendum.

Gritting her teeth, she rubbed the back of her neck and flipped the pages over again, prepared to dig from front to back once more. Why, oh why had she and Jack suggested this mission? They thought it was so clever in its innocent façade. They thought the idea was foolproof and the VanderWylens wouldn't suspect a thing.

Little did they know it wasn't the VanderWylens they needed to worry about, but the FBI itself.

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_A bit more tension before all is revealed next chapter!_


	5. Chapter 5

_At last, the moment you've all been waiting for! _

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**Chapter 5 – Don't Shoot the Messenger**

Instead of taking her usual morning run with Levi, Sue paced. She wore a tread in the master bedroom carpet from sunrise until half past seven. Sometimes Levi joined her stride, sometimes he watched from the edge of the bed, and once he pawed at the door to indicate Jack was up and walking about.

"Oh Levi, if you only knew how easy you have it," she sighed, biting her lip. "Come with me, boy. I need all the support I can get this morning."

She paused on each step of the staircase, feeling the bumpy carpet ridges through her thin socks. The sound of utensils clinking and the coffeepot whistling to life went unheard. Yet she knew Jack was down there, waiting just around the corner, blissfully ignorant of what was coming. Probably still rubbing the sleep from his eyes and trying to read the newspaper headlines.

There he was, back turned as he stood drinking water at the sink. Sue froze in the kitchen doorway. Levi looked up at her questioningly, then sat when she gave him the hand signal.

She stood, unable to make a sound, waiting for Jack to turn and discover her there.

When he did, he practically jumped out of his skin. "Sue! I didn't hear you walk in, you scared me!"

He brushed off a few droplets of water he'd spilled on his shirt.

"I'm still not used to… living with someone else yet. Not in a house this big, anyway," he confessed.

Sue drew a sharp breath. "Don't worry, you may have plenty of time to get used to it."

Her tone caught him off-guard. He noticed her expression was rather foreboding too.

"Sue…? What did you mean by that?" Jack asked, swallowing nervously.

She could see he'd registered her anxiety. Good. It might heighten his senses and help them resolve this thing.

"We should sit down," she moved one foot in front of the other until she reached the table. Jack followed her, watching her every move until they sat across from each other and she laid an envelope between them.

"What's that?"

"Lucy delivered it yesterday while you were at the store. She said it was something Ted forgot to give us earlier."

"Oh," Jack frowned and reached for it. "More dirt on Joseph?"

"I wish it were."

Jack was thoroughly confused now. What could possibly be inside this envelope – an envelope Lucy herself had delivered, no less – that had Sue so stressed? If it were related to the mission, why would she have kept it from him and the agency for a full day?

As the envelope crinkled open, Sue reached down to compulsively pet Levi's head. Stroking the golden retriever's soft fur helped ease the mounting tension, if only a little.

And then, like a volcano erupting, the tension broke. Jack's face contorted in ways she'd never before seen. His jaw fell open, then closed, then opened again. His cheeks paled, flushed, then paled again. His eyes bulged, then blinked repeatedly as if to help him read more clearly. Yet Sue knew no amount of rubbing or blinking would make the words change.

"Th-this is… it's…"

"A very large marriage document," Sue finished for him.

He breathed out slowly through his mouth. "This is what's been bothering you."

She nodded.

"But this is impossible. In my ten years at the FBI, I've never seen anything like it!" Jack rapidly flipped from one section to the next, shaking his head. "None of this looks familiar. None of it!"

"Could it be fake?" hope filled Sue's voice.

Jack flew through the pages. "I… I'm not sure…" Dejection came over his features as he reached the final page. "This is Ted's signature! It's too good to be a forgery."

Sue held her face in her hands, elbows on the table. "I don't understand. Why would he do this without telling us?"

"That's a very good question," Jack yanked his cell from his pocket, auto-dialing Ted's extension. It rang and rang until finally, Lucy answered.

"Desk of Ted Garrett, Lucy Dotson speaking."

"Lucy, where's Ted?" Jack demanded.

She paused. "Jack, is that you?"

"Yes, now put Ted on!"

Another pause, and some shuffling in the background. "He's… away from his desk right now, Jack. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Not unless you can explain that envelope you gave Sue yesterday!"

"Sorry, I don't know what was in it. Don't shoot the messenger."

"If that's how you want to play it," Jack flipped the phone shut, reached for the nearest bagel, and threw on his coat.

"Where are you going?"

"To the office, where else?" he shoved his feet into a pair of boots. "Come with me or stay here, but I'm getting to the bottom of this!"

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	6. Chapter 6

_You're right, I do enjoy torturing readers somewhat. ;) Let the fun continue!_

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**Chapter 6 – Legalese **

The sight of Jack Hudson striding aggressively through the halls of the FBI in pajama pants, an oversized sweatshirt, and untied snow boots was one to behold. Especially with Sue running to catch up with him, barely more presentable than he was. Her unkempt hair was tied in a ponytail that flailed wildly.

The two nearly toppled several agents over in their search for Ted Garrett, who conveniently wasn't in his office. Nor did Bobby, Tara, or Myles know where he was hiding. Jack didn't have time to gauge whether they were covering for Ted or not. Off he flew to the next office, the next conference room, even the restrooms, until at last he cornered his supervisor.

Jack found Ted with a mouth full of the half-eaten doughnut perched in his fingers. He was three floors from his office, lurking around the accounting department's break room for no apparent reason. Other than evading Jack and Sue, that is.

One look at Jack's eyes and Ted knew where they were headed next. His office, with the door shut.

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"I figured you'd come looking for me sooner or later," Ted admitted, taking a seat across from the flustered couple.

"Did you now?" Jack retorted.

"Yes," Ted looked from Sue to Jack, then back again. "But I was hoping the two of you would discuss it further before coming here."

"What is there to discuss? Someone drafted marriage documents behind our backs! How is that even legal? Where was our consent?" Jack jabbed the condemning papers with his finger.

Ted pressed his lips and leaned back, folding his hands thoughtfully. "With the FBI, things aren't as simple as they are in the pedestrian world. You of all people should know that, Jack."

"Don't turn this around on me, as if I knew this would happen!"

"You possess a bound copy of Federal Statutes 400 – 650, don't you?"

"Yes, but what does that have to –"

Ted held up a hand. "As an agent of over ten years, you should be familiar with all of them. What can you tell me about Statute 545?"

Jack's mind raced. Five hundred forty-five…

"Nobody uses the mid-five-hundreds! They're all irrelevant, obsolete codes I've never seen anyone –"

"Regardless of your opinion on them, they exist, Jack. As part of the FBI's canon, they can be applied at any time to any situation we deem necessary. The Executive Director felt your situation qualified for Statute 545."

Sue sat as still as a statue, taking everything in, stunned and fearfully fascinated by the confrontation. She was more than willing to let Jack handle this with his legal knowledge.

"And nowhere in that statute does it call for informing the subjects? No consent is necessary?" continued Jack.

Ted glanced restlessly at his desk clock. "I'd love to sit here and explain the details of the law you should already know, but sadly, I have a meeting in five minutes. You and Sue have plenty of time to kill at your new house. I recommend using it to study the legal texts pertinent to your job."

With that, he exited his office and left the two sitting in stunned shock. Sue was almost afraid to make eye contact with Jack. When he finally regained a shred of composure, he walked stoically to his desk, retrieved a dust-covered volume, and gestured for Sue to follow him out. Jack's expression was enough to keep their coworkers' questions at bay – for now.  
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	7. Chapter 7

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**Chapter 7 – Small Talk**

It looked like a small tornado had ripped through the newlyweds' home office. Papers were strewn across every flat surface, brightly-colored sticky notes flagged every other page, and food wrappers lay around the trashcan. All evidence of the tireless, single-minded search for an escape clause.

As the afternoon dragged to an unfruitful close, Sue left her surveillance point in the bedroom to find Jack looking exhausted.

"Jack…"

"I know," he said tersely. "It's hopeless. My eyeballs feel like they're going to fall out, and all I've got to show for it is a list of laws that uphold the agency's ruling."

"That's nice, but we have to be at the VanderWylens' in twenty minutes."

His haggard eyes flew to the clock. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I didn't want to interrupt you," Sue shrugged apologetically.

"Well, this should be interesting," he stood up. "What story are we going with? 'We met at a bar' or 'we got drawn into a contract marriage like in medieval times?'"

Sue grimaced. Jack was right, this turn of events wasn't going to make dinner conversation any easier.

"Just get into character. You know, like when you're posing as a gang member or drug dealer," she suggested.

"And you'll follow my lead?"

"I'll do my best."

He sighed, running a hand through disheveled hair. "All right. Let's hope something productive comes from today. Keep your eyes more open than usual over there."

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Dinner wasn't half over before, as Sue predicted, Betty VanderWylen started probing into the Hudsons' romantic history. Sue tried valiantly to keep one eye on the casual conversation and one on Joseph's behavior, which frequently took him away from the table for a clandestine cell phone call.

"Married for less than two weeks?" exclaimed Betty. "I remember Joseph's and my first month of marriage. The honeymoon doesn't end when you return from vacation, does it?" she winked at them.

Jack cocked his head with a smile. "In some ways, Betty, it hasn't even begun."

She smiled coyly in return. "I know exactly what you mean. Isn't it incredible to imagine an entire lifetime together?"

"Incredible, yes," Jack took a long drink from his wine glass.

"Any plans for children?"

"Sure, a dozen or so."

Sue was about to monitor Joseph when Jack's words made her stop cold, horrified. The alcohol must have been loosening his tongue.

"Well, Sue certainly looks surprised to hear that!" laughed Betty. "Looks like you two have something to talk about later."

"I'll say!" Sue swatted Jack's arm. "Unless you're willing to birth half of them, no deal!"

Betty tried to offer a diplomatic middle ground. "Joseph and I were never able to conceive, but ultimately that worked for us. It allowed both of us more time to devote to our work and passions."

"Like the animal rescue mission?" offered Sue.

"Exactly. Children are wonderful, but there's no denying I was meant to invest my time and energy elsewhere."

"And Joseph? What are his passions and interests, besides university teaching?"

"When he finishes on the phone, I'll let him tell you himself," Betty offered politely.

Learning Mr. VanderWylen's favorite pastimes, however, would have to wait for another time. He returned to the table but not his seat.

"There's an emergency at the lab," he tried to sound regretful. "It was a pleasure meeting both of you. We'll have to do this again sometime."

"Yes," Jack stood to shake Joseph's hand, locking eyes with him and feeling a chill run down his spine.

"Thank you for your hospitality," Sue spoke up.

After staying to clean up after the meal, the FBI agents walked home along the moonlit sidewalk. Sue stood her coat collar up against her neck and shoved both hands in her pockets. Neither she nor Jack dared look sideways at each other. Still, something was nagging at Sue. Something that needed to be cleared up here and now.

"You weren't serious about wanting twelve kids, were you?" she asked abruptly.

Jack crossed his arms uncomfortably, squinting at the moon. "Are we going to discuss that, or what you saw Joseph saying tonight?"

"Fine. His face was turned away most of the time, but I caught a few pieces here and there. He's expecting a call tomorrow at noon. He also mentioned the shipping docks, possibly a cargo arriving this week."

"That's good, the trail is still hot," Jack unlocked the front door and let Sue in. Levi came running to greet them, tail wagging with gusto as he almost knocked them over. A somewhat awkward dance ensued with the two of them sidestepping Levi while removing their coats. Both reached for the same hook on the coat rack, causing them to retract their hands as if electrocuted.

"Go ahead."

"You first."

They tried again with similar results.

"Here," Jack offered with a timid laugh. "I'll take yours and hang it for you."

Sue cooperated, rubbing the back of her neck self-consciously. When the dance finally ended, neither quite knew what to do next.

"Well," Jack cleared his throat, "lots of work ahead of us tomorrow. We'd better get some sleep."

"I agree. So will it be me at the window with binoculars again, and you digging through legal texts?"

"If that's all right with you," he shrugged.

Nodding. Sue broke their uneven gaze by turning to Levi. "We'll be heading upstairs then. Enjoy your recliner."

Jack blinked, as if the thought hadn't even crossed his mind. "Oh. Um, I think I'll skip the flat screen tonight. It's been a long day."

Neither could argue with that. And so they retired to separate corners of their mansion, each lost in thoughts the other could only fathom.

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	8. Chapter 8

_And now for some angst & drama..._

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**Chapter 8 – Insomnia**

Sue slept even worse than she had the previous night. Levi shared her restless spirit, whining and nudging her arm every so often. His owner was the most on edge he'd ever seen.

All Sue saw when she tried closing her eyes was Jack's incredulous face that morning. His swift, furious response in besieging Ted's office for answers. How utterly defeated he looked at the end of the day, surrounded by dead-end documents. Defeated and trapped. That was the sum total of his current mental state.

And who could blame him? He'd suffered the ultimate betrayal at the hands of his own people. He'd never seen it coming. To add insult to injury, this specific betrayal involved chaining him to a woman he strongly objected to being with. His actions had proven that much all day long.

The emotional sting of his reaction eclipsed the outlandish nature of their situation. Part of Sue's brain, the logical part that usually governed her thoughts, wanted to rebel just like Jack – to fight this unjust application of laws, to defend her personal rights and cause an uproar. Yet even if she were to succeed in undoing the statute, she'd still be left with a hollow, rejected feeling in her soul. She might free herself from Jack legally, but she'd be forever subjected to a dull ache every time she saw him.

Who was she kidding? She'd tried convincing herself over the past two years that her feelings toward Jack were strictly platonic. Or if not strictly, _mostly_ so. Enough that she'd never let it interfere with their professional relationship. She considered herself level-headed, emotionally in control, and certain that nothing could make her waver.

This house had changed all that overnight.

It had enthralled her the moment she stepped inside. It was her dream house, the one that filled her most subconscious desires for the future. Filling it with love, laughter, and children would bring more joy to her heart than she might be able to stand. Jack's presence somehow catapulted it all from the realm of dreams to half-reality. And all she had to do to make it fully real was close her eyes, pray with all her might, and…

Wake to find an iron-clad marriage contract that her would-be husband loathed.

The stuff that dreams were made of, without a doubt.

Staring at the dark outline of her ceiling fan, Sue made a mental checklist of all the flaws responsible for Jack detesting her. He must prefer brunettes. Or someone thinner or more voluptuous than she. Maybe her eyes were the wrong color. She cringed recalling the bathroom mirror that morning. Jack probably wanted someone younger, much younger, who'd be able to give him the better half of those twelve kids. Or maybe…

No, Sue struck down the thought. The minute she let herself even consider he'd reject her for being deaf…

Yet if she thought _that_ was insulting to his character, why was she so quick to suspect him of being shallow with appearances? She was fighting her own mind now, chasing her own tail and getting nowhere.

The only thing she knew for certain was Jack wanted out. Badly enough that the reasons must be as awful as she feared.

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Tossing and turning in his own bed down the hall, Jack was in no less turmoil. What a day it had been. His head felt like it'd been steamrolled.

Federal code, thick with double negatives and jargon, scrolled before his eyes. He'd been played the fool. The more he dwelled on everything, the more it became apparent that Ted was right. Statute 545 could be applied in situations:

"_Where insofar as much as the agents' covert surveillance warrants measures of infallible guise, namely a legal marriage document that, barring a direct risk to either agent's life or welfare, shall be indissoluble and irrevocable. Said document may be executed by the immediate supervisor with the Executive Director's express permission."_

There was nothing, not a single line in any book or binder, which countered that passage. Jack had scoured every possible page.

What began as white-hot indignation that morning had cooled to dull numbness in his soul. Numbness at being hoodwinked and powerless to rectify it. But above all, numbness regarding his stance with Sue. Reflecting on his behavior that day, it occurred to him she might perceive it as hostile and angry. That was partially accurate. He _was_ angry at the agency for duping him. But his outburst had been driven by something deeper.

Embarrassment.

Not embarrassment at being taken by surprise, but embarrassment for his own sake. Sue was married to him. Him, her colleague of two years, whom not once had she ever made advances to. None that he considered clear, anyway. Jack had encountered some women who played the "hard to get" game, but Sue bordered on cordially aloof. The message was clear enough: she wasn't interested.

Why would she be, for that matter? In the early days, Jack hadn't done much to differentiate himself from Myles and Bobby, who derided and ogled her, respectively. He'd made a few decent efforts at mending things, but Sue had likely encountered too many rude people to tolerate much insensitivity. Not that it made her vengeful or hateful. It made her wise and justifiably cautious.

Then there were those on the other side of the spectrum. All the men who, in the course of investigating and interviewing on the job, she'd come into contact with. Jack would've had to be blind not to see the way they looked at her. And not the way Bobby did, either. They saw her genuine spirit, the tender strength that made her who she was.

The same strength and charm that he'd fallen in love with without realizing it.

But it was too late. Useless. If she couldn't reciprocate his feelings yet, she never would. She deserved better than him anyway. And that was what fueled his mad quest for legal freedom – seeing the document which was a dream come true for him, but not for her.

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	9. Chapter 9

_How about a little comic relief from Jack & Sue's friends at the office?_

_I regret to inform my devoted readers that I'll be out of town all next week, so my next update won't be until after that. Hope this gets you by until then!_

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**Chapter 9 – The Water Cooler**

A new day began at the FBI, blinds opening and coffee pots percolating, doughnut crumbs falling on dress pants. Business resumed as usual but the atmosphere in Ted Garrett's division seemed a bit off. Cautious, uncertain glances kept falling on Jack and Sue's desks, then darting between other faces looking at their empty chairs.

All ears perked up like Dobermans when Lucy walked in. The breathless expression on her face said it all.

"All right everyone, I have news – nobody stand up, I don't want you to pass out!" she clenched one fist like a microphone.

"Well, is my theory right? Are Jack and Sue being experimented on by aliens?" asked Myles.

"Or did Ted rearrange things so they'll have to work for Randy when they come back?" Bobby theorized.

"Both very creative guesses that would explain their grim expressions yesterday," Tara pointed out.

Lucy waved her hands to make the chorus stop. "It's something even crazier!"

Myles looked skeptical. "What could be crazier than the two of them running errands for Randy, who turns out to be an alien? And then he coerces them into assisting his plan to take over the world?"

"Brace yourselves," Lucy warned one last time. "They're _married_."

Four pairs of eyes stared back at her, confused and unblinking.

"Did any of you hear me? I said they're married!"

"As in… _married_, married?" Bobby spoke up, perplexed.

Lucy nodded vigorously. "Yes!"

Slowly, like mental patients taking in new surroundings, they all looked at each other. Their mouths fell agape at different times.

"What…?"

"Why?"

"Where?"

"When?"

One single-worded question was all each of them could manage. Lucy drew them closer and lowered her voice, savoring this more than all other pieces of office gossip combined.

"It has something to do with Statute 545, at least that's what I heard."

Myles' eyebrows shot sky high. Bobby's and Dimitrius' soon followed.

"What do you guys know about it?" Tara asked.

"Oh, not much. Only that it's one of the single most powerful statutes in the FBI," Myles feigned indifference.

"I'll say," Dimitrius looked pensive. "I've never heard of anyone using it."

"Well, my guess would be neither has Jack," Lucy remarked. "You all saw how upset he was yesterday. They say he's fighting it tooth and nail!"

Bobby snorted. "I wish him luck!"

Wheels were turning in Tara's head. "What's the big deal? Obviously the powers that be wanted Jack and Sue's cover to be rock solid. Once their surveillance is over, they can just get a divorce, can't they?"

The three men exchanged knowing glances.

"If this were a common civil union, sure," replied Myles. "But we're talking something much, much stricter."

"Imagine you're in Alcatraz," suggested Bobby. "There are four-inch-thick iron rods barring your window. The cell walls are electrically charged to shock you at the slightest touch. The guard to prisoner ratio is ten to one. The sea is teeming with a hundred sharks per square mile."

Everyone was listening with intense interest, waiting for Bobby to finish the mental image.

"It would be easier to escape that prison than get out of Statute 545," he concluded.

Tara and Lucy balked, then looked incredulously at each other.

"Think he's exaggerating?" pressed Myles. "Read up on it yourselves. Jack ran off with his copy but I'm sure there are others lying around."

Lucy held up both hands. "So… are you saying they're stuck? Like really, absolutely stuck?"

"Afraid so."

"And Ted didn't think to warn them this could happen with a mission like this?"

Myles shrugged. "I don't question Ted's tactics unless they directly affect me."

"How typically selfish," Tara glared.

"Yes, but let's be honest here. How many of you want to bet that by the end of the week, Jack will have abandoned his noble quest for justice?"

Frowning, nobody seemed to know what to make of that question.

"Come on, let's not pretend we haven't felt the romantic tension between those two! Don't tell me I'm the only one who sees it!" Myles entreated.

Lucy crossed her arms. "Okay, but it's still a huge leap from office infatuation to marriage. They may be attracted to each other but they're two of the most responsible, reasonable people I know."

Bobby laughed. "Reasonable or not, they're still not getting out of this without an intervention from the president himself."

"Then maybe that's what Jack will get," Tara replied smugly.

"Right," Myles rolled his eyes. "Or, he'll do what any other warm-blooded male in his situation would do and seal the de–"

"Excuse me!" a booming voice interrupted.

All of them bounced like Mexican jumping beans. There stood Ted, beloved supervisor, looking none too pleased with their use of company time.

"I'm glad to see you're all bright and chipper this morning," he glowered. "I'm sorry to interrupt an important discussion that's so relevant to keeping this country safe. Lucy?"

Swallowing drily, she stood. "Yes sir?"

"The paperwork you delivered to Jack and Sue yesterday – there's more. I need you to drop it off this afternoon."

"Oh," she blinked, grateful that was all. "Of course."

Ted brushed past the crowd with a grunt. "Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I have statutes to review."

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	10. Chapter 10

_I'm back! Here's the next installment, which marks the beginning of things getting... interesting. ;)_

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**Chapter 10 - Negotiations**

Two bleary-eyed newlyweds shuffled downstairs that morning, too wasted from lack of sleep to feel self-conscious yet. They bumped into each other a few times getting cereal and coffee, then sat down with a grunt and a scowl.

"I assume you slept about as well as I did," mumbled Jack.

"I saw things I can't be sure were dreams or not," Sue recalled.

Jack gave a short, rumbling laugh. "Now here we sit with bathrobes and unbrushed hair, as comfortable as people who've been married twenty years."

"Hey, at least we play the roles well."

Nodding at his cereal bowl, he smiled wanly. "It's all my fault anyway."  
"What do you mean?"

"Our first night here, when you went upstairs to bed, I called you Mrs. Hudson behind your back," he confessed. "I jinxed things."

"_Now_ who's being superstitious?" Sue exclaimed, bemused.

A faltering smile played on Jack's lips but then he lowered his gaze, avoiding her eyes.

"Listen, I'm sorry about how I reacted yesterday. It was just so crazy and unexpected, I had a knee-jerk reaction without thinking how it might affect you."

Sue rested her spoon on the edge of her bowl. "Oh," was all she could mutter. She feared saying more might sabotage whatever else he wanted to say. But as the seconds ticked by without any further comment on his part, it became clear that's all he had in mind.

"So after breakfast, it's straight to the study desk for you?" she asked innocently.

Sighing, Jack pushed his breakfast away. The sight of it now gave him indigestion. _I'd better tell her the truth. She deserves to know._

"No, Sue," he sighed heavily. "There's no sense in me searching any more. I've looked everywhere and there's nothing… nothing that can…"

He and Sue let the sentence hang unfinished. Both knew what it meant for them. As their brains started piercing the haze, the full weight of fate settled on their shoulders. And then a single teardrop rippled the sea of milk in Sue's bowl.

"I'm sorry too," she sniffed, rising from her seat. "I'm sorry the thought of being married to someone like me makes you so sick to your stomach that you can't finish a bowl of corn flakes!"

She was out of the kitchen before he could utter a stunned word. He'd never seen her like this, with her emotions so raw from sleep deprivation. It was disconcerting to say the least. But regardless, he needed to track her down and work this out. Explain to her she had it all backwards…

He found her huddled in the corner of her bed, Levi whimpering from below. She saw Jack's shadow shift in the doorway and stiffened.

"I don't need consoling," she sniffed proudly. "You're free to spy on the VanderWylens or watch Seinfeld all day. Pretend I'm not even here."

"Sue," Jack walked around until he faced her. "You know I can't do that."

"Why not? Isn't that what you wish? That I'm not here, that I don't exist?"

His heart sank. Was this how she honestly felt? "No… Sue, where is this coming from?"

"From you! I saw your face when you read those papers. Don't try to tell me you weren't horrified!"

"I admit I was taken aback," Jack permitted. "But who wouldn't be? It scared you too! You hid it from me all day, trying to find an escape yourself. And when that didn't work you showed it to me."

Sue felt some of her indignation slip away. He was right. Her first thoughts had been identical to his.

Seeing her soften, Jack leaned closer. "Just now, downstairs, you said 'I'm sorry that being married to _someone like me_ makes you so sick.' Why say 'someone like me' instead of just 'me?'"

She wanted so badly to close her eyes and disappear. "You know exactly what it means."

"Do I?" he wiped a tear from her cheek. "The Sue I know has far more self esteem than that. She should know better than to second-guess herself… or the love of those closest to her."

A moment passed in which no words were necessary. All had been said that needed to. Right now, facing each other in the most emotionally vulnerable moment of their lives, both of them were deaf and mute. The only law of nature currently in play was gravity.

And as it was sometimes known to do, it was pulling things sideways instead of down. One pair of forgiving lips met another.

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	11. Chapter 11

_AAAAH!1! I don't know about any of you, but I've been going crazy this past week... Fan-effing-fiction was broke pretty bad. Couldn't upload new chapters, couldn't (evidently) get new reviews. Mayhem and madness._

_So I have no idea if people liked Chapter 10. I don't even know if everyone got a notification for it. If you haven't read and/or reviewed it yet, please put me out of my misery and do so NOW. Then swiftly do the same for this chapter! :) K thanks bye._

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**C****hapter 11 – Affidavit **

What began as a passionate kiss ended in an innocent nap. Jack and Sue had passed out on her bed, snoring until late morning. Sue drowsily rubbed her eyes and saw the red digital clock slowly come into focus. With a jolt that woke Jack, she leapt up and raced to the window, fumbling for the binoculars.

"Not good… I hope we haven't missed it…" she hissed through her teeth.

"Wha…?" Jack blinked groggily.

"Joseph… where is he?" Sue scanned the adjacent yard. "Come on, it's noon, time for your phone call!"

She waited breathlessly until at last he appeared in her scope. Jack froze, letting her observe.

"Yes… the cargo's still on schedule… coming Friday… I can't tell what time of day he said…" Sue relayed. "But it's definitely Friday at the Brownston docks."

Jack watched her in open admiration. He loved her for so many reasons, her usefulness just the least of them. But his praise would have to wait – the doorbell rang. Levi, of course, snapped to action; he escorted Jack and Sue downstairs, leading them to the front door where the humans realized they were still in wrinkled pajamas.

No matter, it was only Lucy for the second time in as many days.

"Long time no see!" Sue laughed.

"Hey Sue, Jack," Lucy paused, looking them up and down. _No… it couldn't be. Myles can't be right, not already…_

"Rough night," Jack explained. "We both slept in late."

Lucy swore she saw a _look_ pass between them, but she dismissed it. "Yeah, I heard. I swear I knew nothing about that statute. I'm still kind of in shock, but not half as much as you two must be! How are you holding up?"

"We're still… adjusting to things," replied Sue.

"So what brings you here today? Dropping off an invitation to our wedding shower?" Jack goaded.

"Could be for all I know," Lucy handed them an envelope much slimmer than the first. "Whatever it is can't be any worse than yesterday's bomb, right?"

Her cell phone started buzzing before Jack or Sue could answer. Recognizing the number, Lucy started backpedaling down the front walk.

"Sorry guys, I have to take this. I'm late for a meeting. Call me if you want me to stop by later, okay?"

Jack gripped the envelope with one hand and waved with the other. "That girl… always on the move."

Sue eyed the package nervously as they returned inside. "I'm afraid to open that."

"Nah, like Lucy said, it couldn't be any worse," Jack winked at her, slitting it open. "Not that it was entirely 'bad' to begin with."

She smiled coyly, sidling up and linking her arm in his before reading the document. There were only two pages, one of which was legal size. The top sheet was a crooked copy of a statute page. They both squinted at the uneven lettering, trying to interpret the convoluted phrases.

When at last comprehension dawned on Jack, he inhaled sharply. It was visceral enough that Sue felt it.

"What is it?" asked Sue, who hadn't read quite as far.

"Here," he pointed to a chunk of lines halfway down the page. "Lucy guessed wrong."

Sue peered closer and read the text aloud:

"_At the Executive Director's individual discretion, the persons legally bound by the enactment of Statue 545 may at any time be required to produce a signed & notarized affidavit stating under oath that the marriage has been validated."_

"Validated?" she frowned slightly. "What does that mean? We've got a small book of paperwork proving it's valid and legal."

Holding his tongue, Jack flipped to the second page. There his suspicions were confirmed. From the base of his neck to the top of his forehead, he grew a warm shade of red.

"That's apparently not enough," he coughed nervously.

"Why not? What is this?" she snatched it to get a better look. Glancing sideways at her, Jack watched and waited for realization to strike her next. It didn't take long. Sue's mouth fell open in a black, astonished hole, which she promptly covered with one hand.

"This… it's asking… they want us to…" she was too aghast to form a complete thought.

Jack nodded with regret. "Again, I had no idea this law existed. From the date on this page, it looks like the addendum was added just a few months ago."

"But how can they do this?" Sue's eyes had never been wider. "How can the FBI force us to consummate a marriage they arranged?!"

"Whoever makes the rules is either a sociopath or a pervert."

"It says we have to sign this by five pm Friday under penalty of law! It's an _affidavit!_ If we lie, we'll be committing perjury!"

Slowly, as if possessed by an unseen yet calm force, Jack took back the papers. He fixed Sue with a stare so mesmerizing she lost her breath.

"Shh," he touched her lips with one finger. "No need to get so upset."

"We could go to _jail_, Jack!"

His hand slid across her cheek and under her chin, holding it there so their eyes were inextricably locked.

"Then the only responsible thing to do," he murmured before pressing his mouth against hers, "is behave as law abiding citizens would."

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	12. Chapter 12

_Sorry for the longer than usual wait for this chapter... my husband just got offered a job this week in MI, in our home town no less! We've spent the past 6.5 years living in exile in very, VERY upstate NY. We basically feel like Israelites at the end of their 40-year exodus to reach the promised land. But to get there, we first must have a moving sale, pack everything (including my sewing suite of 3 machines, 2 tables, and overflowing bins of fabric), and put the house on the market. _  
_Not much time for writing, I'm afraid! :O_

_But I offer you this, the sex scene you've all been waiting for (or thought would never come). I try to keep it classy, somewhat poetic, and PG-13. Stay calm and read on..._

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**Chapter 12 – The Letter of the Law**

Pacing uneasily outside the master bedroom, Levi sniffed around the edges of the door and whimpered. His owner had locked herself beyond his reach. Should something happen he'd have no way of getting her attention.

Such concerns were thousands of miles from Sue's mind.

Jack was ravishing her just as she'd imagined, her guilty dreams unfolding before her eyes, forbidden no longer. All the nerves in her body stood on end and then wilted like angel hair pasta. Gone was the mental strain of keeping her thoughts of Jack office-appropriate. They were as far from the office, both geographically and figuratively, as they could possibly be.

Still, surrendering to each other came cautiously at first. Jack's advances were calculated, careful not to overwhelm Sue. His wife. She was all his, just as he'd secretly pined for ages. Her subtle yet sweet aroma was intoxicating. Rummaging his nose through her hair, he pecked the side of her neck and felt her shiver in his arms.

He was gentle yet firm, insistent yet thoughtful. The king-size bed offered plenty of room to maneuver as they explored each other fully. Somewhere in the back of their delirious minds, they realized the irony of the situation: poised to make love on the same bed on which Sue had laid in tears, convinced Jack didn't want her. He couldn't savor more the prospect of proving her wrong.

"Jack…" she whispered, eyes closing and opening erratically. "I'll do anything to keep us from going to jail…"

He expressed his agreement by slowly unbuttoning Sue's sleepshirt, savoring the silk beneath his fingertips. She offered no resistance, lost in his smoldering eyes. Eyes of a man who was no longer just a senior coworker. They were equal now – equally enraptured and helpless to fight it.

Sheets twisted and pillows tumbled to the floor, followed soon after by Jack's plaid pajama bottoms. Sue's lounge pants joined the pile next. She couldn't hear his halted panting in her ear, but she felt the ever-increasing warmth radiating in waves. The palms of her hands grazed his biceps and felt the strong pulse within. From there her hands trailed down his shoulder blades and spine until reaching his perfectly shaped bottom. It felt as good as it looked in dress pants.

She'd never done this before. She'd never been close enough to anyone. It felt simultaneously terrifying and liberating, like skydiving or plunging into the midnight cold sea. It was madness, going from chaste bachelorette one day to legally married woman the next, with no transition in-between. But with Jack helping her navigate, step by breathless step, she'd surely survive.

Fingers sank into smooth skin, lips quivered and gasped, and muscles flexed. Their souls and bodies enveloped each other until they couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. Seamlessly they joined, moving in tandem as dancers would. There were no barriers, no professional pretense, just raw, unbridled rhythm that rumbled through their veins.

With an abruptness that caused Sue to gasp, everything came to a halt and Jack collapsed on her. They laid in ecstasy, catching their breath. Eventually Jack rolled off, eyes shut in total satisfaction as he gripped Sue's hand. She was completely immobilized and could only stare directly overhead.

"That… you…" her tongue refused to work properly.

Jack untwisted the waistband on his boxers, grinning foolishly. He held up both hands to sign a message.

"_Maybe being Mrs. Hudson won't be such a bad thing after all."_

"_That's putting it mildly," _she signed back.

"_Glad I could change your mind."_

"I'm glad I let you," she spoke, turning over to kiss him once more.

"Mm, no fear of imprisonment either. This has to be the best plea bargain ever."

Sue laughed. "Somehow I doubt the FBI will start making this their standard offer."

"Never say never," Jack smirked, crushing her against him.

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	13. Chapter 13

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**Chapter 13 – Bon Voyage**

To say it was difficult for the Hudsons to maintain focus on the VanderWylen case would be an understatement. One taste of marital privileges had them hooked. Fortunately they had an entire day to adore each other before resuming FBI duties Friday.

The day of Joseph VanderWylen's anticipated dockside delivery, they first made a stop at the district courthouse. Down the gleaming halls they walked, hands linked and silly grins on their faces. They drew more than a few odd stares, dressed as they were in wrinkled, dowdy street clothes to blend in at the docks.

A half door at the end of the hall marked "Court Records" was where they stopped. Stooped behind the counter was an elderly woman with tightly curled helmet hair. Her nametag read Estelle.

"Good morning," she tottered over to them. "How can I help you?"

Jack glanced at Sue. She had to be thinking the same thing he was at that moment.

"Yes, Estelle… we, um, have a document that needs to be notarized…" he said with difficulty.

"Well you've come to the right place, dearie!" Estelle smiled proudly. "Been notarizin' records for over forty years. I can stamp 'em in my sleep! Lay your paper right here on the ledge and let's have a look."

"All right," Jack muttered, producing the affidavit.

Estelle nudged the bridge of her glasses up her nose and leaned forward. "Now then, what have we here…"

Sue elbowed Jack in the side, scarcely able to withstand laughing in embarrassment. He, too, was having trouble keeping a straight face. He tried to camouflage a laugh with a hoarse cough. Any moment now, Estelle would realize what they were all witnessing…

And there it was. The poor, unsuspecting old lady's mouth fell open and she froze.

"Oh…!" she faltered. "I… like I said, I've been doing this job for over forty years, but not once have I seen an affidavit quite like this!"

Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "Can you notarize it or not?"

Estelle blinked, staring at the document she now held at arm's length. "I suppose so. An affidavit's an affidavit, right?" she looked at the two of them, taken by the unusual situation. Sue returned a kind smile.

"All right then, you two sign here and here," she pointed to two lines at the bottom. After they did so, she retrieved a paper press and marked the bottom right-hand corner. "There. Will there be anything else?" she asked nervously.

"No, thank you," Jack patted the paper. "You've been most helpful."

Sue thanked her as well before they retreated down the hall. When they were out of earshot, she let out a squeal.

"I'll bet that old lady won't ever forget that!"

Jack acknowledged her with an impish grin. "I doubt so too. But let's shift gears now – it's time to visit our good neighbor Joseph at the Brownston docks."

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A brisk wind blew off the Atlantic as mid-morning approached. Gulls squawked and mooring hardware clanked. Docking planks creaked beneath the FBI agents' feet. Jack and Sue huddled behind a stack of crates near the corner of a warehouse, slim binoculars in hand. There was no sign of Joseph VanderWylen yet but there were plenty of disreputable-looking figures milling around.

"_My neck is getting stiff,"_ Sue signed.

"_Mine too. Let's take a short walk."_

They exited the narrow alley, hands in pockets and dark stocking caps on their heads. Jack's unshaven face obscured his features; Sue's long hair was knotted up and tucked under the hat's low brim. A shapeless overcoat gave her a bulky silhouette that fooled the casual onlooker into thinking she was a small man. She kept her gait choppy to complete the façade.

Making a circuit of the docks yielded no sighting of their target, but just as they circled back to the crate pile, Joseph passed in front of the warehouse. A small entourage of three men accompanied him. Jack recognized them as VanderWylen's university students the FBI suspected under his recruit. They were met by a contingent from a small freighter. The surly-looking captain shook Joseph's hand curtly and began to speak.

"He says the cargo's still on the ship… he needs to know where Joseph wants it unloaded…" Sue whispered. "Joseph's saying he should have already been told where. Somebody obviously didn't do their job."

The captain was about to respond when a caravan of huge crates on dollies blocked Sue's view. Agitated, she waited for the procession to end – and when it did, the spot where the terrorists had been standing was bare.

"We have to find them, come on!" Jack pulled her out into the open.

Fortunately they didn't have to look far. The group was fifty yards ahead of them, headed to the freighter with calculated steps. Joseph and his minions followed the captain whose men brought up the rear. Two remained dockside to guard the plank.

"_I've got an idea,"_ Jack signed quickly. _"Got your gun and taser?"_

Sue nodded.

"_Good, follow my lead. We're going inside."_

He strode right up to the guards as if they were expecting him.

"Hey, sorry we're late. VanderWylen called us yesterday to help unload some cargo," Jack tried to hoarsen his voice. "He just went inside?"

"Yeah," one of the guards narrowed his eyes. "Shouldn't be long. You can wait right here."

"He said it's heavy. If we don't get in there to help… well, you know how impatient he gets. I'd hate for you to take the blame."

The rough edge in Jack's eyes made them second-guess things. They seemed about to let them pass when a commotion broke out. There was shouting from inside the ship, scuffling and other violent sounds, and a shot was fired. The guards made to rush inside but Jack and Sue took them down with tasers and sleight of hand. Confiscating their weapons, the agents raced up the plank in a running crouch.

Everything was a mad blur from there. Jack and Sue slipped their way into a full-blown standoff between the seamen and Joseph VanderWylen, who was none too pleased with the quantity or quality of the cargo.

"You clowns think I don't know cheap substitutes when I see them? Infidels! Your deceit and treachery must be punished!"

The crossfire was intense but the Hudsons managed to dip and dodge through the cargo hold, trying to get close enough to tackle Joseph. But there were too many weapons firing from too many angles.

"Allah have mercy on your souls!" he bellowed, firing madly.

Sue couldn't hear the exchange but she felt bullets zing through the air and ricochet off metal walls. She knotted herself into a ball and waited for Jack to give her a signal. At last he did.

"_The crew's all died or run off. One of Joseph's guys went down too. He and the other two disappeared."_

"_You're sure they're gone?"_

"_I don't hear any –"_

Jack froze. From above deck came the faint yet distinct sound of Joseph's voice barking out orders.

"Retract the plank and raise the anchor! Head out on an eastern bearing. We're going straight to the source to show him nobody tampers with Allah's work!"

Sue saw Jack's stricken appearance. "Jack, what's happening?"

"He's disembarking! They're headed east, God knows where!"

"We need to get off!" Sue jumped up. Jack ran with her toward the deck when suddenly he grabbed her by the arm.

"Wait," the wheels in his mind were turning. "If we bail now, we might never get a chance like this again."

"You can't seriously be suggesting we ride as stowaways!"

"Not _we_. Just me."

That was the only thing more preposterous than the first option! "No way, Jack! I'm not going anywhere without you!"

"Come on Sue, you can swim well can't you?"

"That's not the point!" she felt like throttling him. "We're partners in every sense of the word now. Leaving you three-against-one on this ship? I don't think so!"

"Sue…"

"You need me. What will you do without my reading lips?" she put her hands on her hips. "Going solo is not an option. We're in this together."

Jack studied her determined face, realizing she was right. Even if they weren't married, separating at a time like this was seriously risky. One set of eyes on Joseph wasn't enough, especially with two accomplices on board. They hadn't seen this coming but it was too late to turn back now. Somebody had to seize the opportunity to infiltrate the prince of terror's regime.

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End file.
